Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 83



Only Noblemtl

Episode 83 Book of Nameless Bugs (1)

It wasn’t difficult to find the stone tablet that Lishen had hidden.

Lishen died suddenly and unexpectedly, and there was no time to properly hide the stone tablet. The slate was in a place that was easy to find, and Isaac found it under the desk.

The stone slab was unfinished.

Nothing was written and no power was contained.

“This looks like it’s unfinished. It was made after the Dawn Tablet, right?”

Aidan’s eyes were shaking frantically. As soon as Isaac moved the stone slab, her eyes immediately followed him, showing her true feelings to the point where it was blatant.

Isaac wondered why Aidan wanted this slab.

‘I don’t think I’m a vessel worthy of becoming a god.’

Carlsen had enough accomplishments and power to attempt to become a god, for better or for worse. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t do if he got help from other gods.

But the man in front of me, Aidan, really looked like an ordinary merchant.

“Tell me what you were going to use this for.”

“… … .”

As expected, Aidan did not answer. Instead of answering his question, Isaac raised the stone tablet high. Seeing as if he was about to throw it away and break it, Aidan spoke urgently.

“An unknown Bible! That’s an obscure Bible! “I was looking for it because my council needs it!”

“Parliament?”

Isaac frowned, then opened his mouth.

“Are you a member of the Salt Council?”

The Salt Council, one of the nine faiths.

It was the faith of sailors who once built a great empire, but are now on the path to ruin and constant downfall. The reason why they are on the path to decline even though they are one of the nine faiths is simple.

Isaac said, looking at the slate.

“Do you think this could be your Bible?”

“… … .”

Aidan looked at Isaac with longing eyes.

The Salt Council has almost no Bibles, sacred relics, or even temples. Of course, there are few priests, and the miracles that can be used are limited.

Isaac was able to recall the setting that they, who were once prosperous, had a history of earning their own money, but were still trying to regain their glory.

‘An anonymous Bible… … .’

Isaac looked at the slate.

After hearing the name, I knew what it was for. Just as the Dawn Tablet recorded the message of the Code of Light, the message of any god could also be written here. Or carve it yourself.

It was clear that the Salt Council, which lost the Bible and holy relics, was looking for an unknown Bible to rewrite the lost message of the god.

‘And Carlsen tried to become a god by writing his own scriptures here. ‘That seems plausible.’

The beginning of a nation is law. In that case, it would be safe to say that the beginning of religion is the scriptures.

“If you knew the existence of this Bible, you would also know who created it, right? Tell me who collaborated with Lishen Hendrak. No, I actually know who it is. “The only people who can artificially create something like an anonymous Bible are the furnace craftsmen of the world.”

In order to knead the fallen angels like clay and create what you want, either God must intervene, or the furnace craftsmen of the world must intervene. Of course, it is God’s job to create an anonymous Bible and then transcribe the message there.

Aidan now had a somewhat painful expression on his face.

Isaac gestured as if to stop wasting time.

“The Salt Council can’t lie anyway. Speak quickly. “After all, I have business with the brazier craftsmen of the world, not you.”

The Salt Council believers had one famous characteristic.

That you can’t lie.

This was also related to their history of losing the Bible.

In fact, Isaac didn’t care whether the Salt Council found the Holy Relic or the Bible. What he was interested in was the world’s furnace craftsman, an all-purpose blacksmith.

Still, when Aidan’s answer was delayed, Isaac pretended to be an exemplary paladin and heated up the Ruaddin key in his hand. In the darkness, the sword body became hot and began to illuminate the surroundings.

As the Ruad-Din key approached the nameless Bible, Aidan groaned softly and opened his mouth.

Isaac thought it was time to throw the carrot and gently encouraged him.

“That’s because I have a favor to ask the brazier. My goal is to retrieve sacred relics and exterminate monsters, and I have no intention of harassing the furnace craftsman. Even though they are pagans, furnace craftsmen are respectable people.”

“What is your favor?”

“Unless you are a furnace craftsman, you don’t need to know.”

“… … “I know where the world’s brazier craftsmen are.”

‘also.’

This was Isaac’s purpose.

It is difficult to even find the hidden furnace craftsman in the world unless you go to his home base, the Svanvar Archipelago in the north. However, he had to capture the hikikomori who were operating on their own from the north if they entered the continent. This is because making things from the remains of fallen angels requires the help of a brazier craftsman.

Isaac turned off the key to Ruad Din. However, the heated sword did not cool down easily and remained a faint scarlet color.

Aidan breathed a sigh of relief and then noticed the sword he was holding. The sword was no different from a thin needle compared to the Ruad Din Key, so he obediently put it in his belt.

“Where is the brazier?”

“that is… … “Could you please tell me first what your request is?”

Instead of answering, Isaac waved the sword to make it sparkle.

Aidan said hesitantly.

“… … A brazier craftsman does not meet people carelessly. “If I take someone I don’t know, they will run away.”

“You won’t be able to escape easily.”

“But you never know. If I run away, I will never see you again. “Rather than let that happen, just ask me.”

“request?”

Salt Council followers were famous as merchants and sailors, but they were also popular brokers due to their inability to lie. They had established themselves as honest brokers, connecting people in a neutral position.

“Instead of meeting clients in person, the furnace craftsman hires me to gather the necessary materials and meet other people. “If you need to receive a request, I can deliver it on your behalf.”

“A request means you’re going to get paid, right?”

To be honest, you might be wondering what the difference would be if their lives were spared, but the Salt Council believers are desperate. The expectations they have for this ‘nameless slate’ will not be ordinary.

In fact, Aidan was looking at the slab containing Isaac with thirsty eyes.

Isaac didn’t want a single church, no matter how small, to rush to its death.

He decided to hit the player ahead of time.

“I don’t think he is a thief who asks for an unknown Bible in exchange for an intermediary. Let’s build trust and rewards step by step.”

As Isaac said that, he glanced at the fallen angel.

“Wasn’t what you wanted a fallen angel?”

“… … Yes, actually, that is enough.”

The anonymous Bible was created by fallen angels.

Of course, it would not have been made only from fallen angels, but the hands of all kinds of gods, divine powers, and materials would have gone into it.

However, it does not change the fact that the basic base is Fallen Angel. So Aidan must have also sneaked into this sealed mineshaft.

“good. “I will sell you a fallen angel.”

“yes?”

“I will sell you part of the fallen angel’s remains for a reasonable price, so tell him to meet me in person. But you also have to make the things I need. So, I have to meet the brazier myself.”

Aidan looked shocked when he heard that he was going to sell the Fallen Angel.

Excavating fallen angels is considered blasphemous, but selling them to people who might fall into their hands?

Isaac saw the disbelief on Aidan’s face, and he strode over and grabbed the gold chain in his hand.

“ah… … !”

The moment Aidan’s astonishment exploded, Isaac cut off the gold string and seal. Since he had already figured out all the weaknesses of the golden rope, and even ‘Proof of Faith’ and ‘Sword of Judgment’ could not cause any harm to Isaac, it was natural that there would be no damage.

After tearing off all the gold strings, Isaac ripped off part of the fallen angel’s wing and threw it at Aidan.

“It’s an advance payment.”

I didn’t think he would run away with it. For Salt Council believers, contracts are sacred. No, it was more than sacred, it was fearful. Unlike the Golden Idol, which risked its life to make a deal, the Salt Council did not carelessly make promises or contracts unless their lives were at stake.

Aidan seemed to hesitate, but eventually grabbed the fallen angel piece.

“Let me arrange a meeting.”

Aidan’s acceptance of the contract meant that saving the fallen angels was as important to him as risking his life.

‘Of course, if I don’t let you meet, I’m planning to make it such an important issue that your life will be at stake.’

Fortunately, the situation didn’t get that bad.

Aidan carefully wrapped the fallen angel piece in a cloth, bowed his head, and ran out of the cave.

***

In the darkness of the cave where Aidan escaped, Hesabel, who was hanging upside down, peeked out.

“Shall we chase after you?”

“no.”

It would be even more difficult if a tracer was attached for no reason and the furnace craftsman ran away. As much as the brazier craftsman’s skills were outstanding, there were many people targeting him, so he was extremely closed-minded.

And Isaac figured Aidan wouldn’t break his promise.

“That guy is a member of the Salt Council. “There’s no way you can break your promise.”

“Salt Council… … .”

Hezabel muttered the name.

In Walaika, a landlocked country, it was rare to meet sailors.

Hesabel had only been active within Walaika until she tracked down Isaac, so she had only heard of the existence of the Salt Council.

“But what does this have to do with not breaking your promise to the members of the Salt Council?”

Isaac found it strange that Hesabel, who could be said to be a being in the game, was asking him about the ‘setting’.

And at the same time, I was speechless. For Isaac, being a member of the Salt Council was something that ‘of course’ meant he couldn’t lie.

Because that’s how the game was set up.

“To explain why, I have to tell an epic story that encompasses the story of the birth of the Salt Council.”

“Is it very long?”

Isaac clicked his tongue at Hesabel’s curious expression. Actually, it may have been an unrelated story, but Isaac opened his mouth just to organize his thoughts.

Because I suddenly became curious about what the Salt Council had to do with the world’s furnaces.

Isaac slowly opened his mouth.

“The Salt Council was originally a faith under another name. First of all, let’s call them sailors. Sailors were a group of people who worshiped an ancient god of a city under the sea. “It is said that in the old days, it was strong enough to dominate the southern seas.”

Isaac recalled that this world was at least roughly similar to a map of Europe. In the past, the Salt Council had as much power as Carthage, which ruled northern Africa and the islands. But now only traces of it remain, and it has become a religion secretly passed down only among sailors.

“Why have I never heard of it?”

“Because it was a long time ago. This was before the Church of the Code of Light even began properly. “It was a time when there wasn’t even an Immortal Church, nor even the Elil or Red Grail Club or the World’s Furnace Church.”

The nine faiths that dominate the world today are all faiths that emerged after the Code of Light began to write new rules. All of the other minor ancient gods were dead or extinct, and only the faith that cooperated with the Code of Light, split off, or fell prostrate at its feet survived.

“Anyway, sailors at that time were practically the losers of a world that was enjoying its heyday. But in front of the sailors who became arrogant because of their might… … “Change has begun.”

“Change?”

“Ruad Din appeared.”

The first prophet to appear from the flames of the stake holding the ‘Dawn Tablets’, the so-called Code of Light. The chief angel who transformed the Code of Light, which was just a folk belief, into a proper faith for the first time, and eventually ascended to heaven and became the first angel.

The one who brought about the end of the ancient gods has appeared.

The Age of Gods was such a historical event that it can be categorized as before and after the appearance of Ruad-Din.

“At that time, Ruad-Din was being chased by an empire that served another ancient god. He was burned at the stake and even came back alive, but his power was still weak. Eventually, Ru ad-Din led his followers out of the Holy Land and headed west.”

The ‘holy land’ mentioned in this myth is the holy place that the Baekje Empire so desperately wants to restore.

It is currently occupied by the Black Empire.

“Ruad-Din, who was blindly heading west, encountered the sea. And I met the sailors, the rulers of the sea at that time. Ru ad-Din paid them a price and agreed to cross the sea with his followers. But the Salt Council did not keep its promise.”

The reason why the Salt Council did not cooperate was not clearly stated in the setting.

It could be out of greed to get more money, it could be to avoid conflict with the forces trying to catch Ruad Din, or it could just be because of fear that Ruad Din’s stomach would get hurt because he had a burning body.

It would not have mattered much that Ruad-Din’s flames ensured that no one was harmed.

“Ruad-Din waited for three days, but the sailors did not cooperate. Instead, they mocked and insulted Ruad Din, who was standing at the port. Then Ruad-Din petitioned the Code of Light and punished the sailors for their arrogance.”

“Punishment?”

“The sun did not set for three days. Then the sea became extremely hot. “The sailors regretted it later, screamed, and pleaded in the boiling sea, but the sun did not move.”

Isaac stopped talking for a moment and was silent.

Is this punishment really a realizable miracle? If you have that kind of power, shouldn’t you just confront the forces chasing you?

Well, not all the contents of myths are reasonable.

“And as time passed, all that was left where the sea had been was a huge, dried-up salt desert. “The mighty fleet of sailors, the salt priests, the relics, and the cities beneath the sea were all trapped beneath the salt desert hundreds of meters thick.”

Heshabel touched her lips as if she felt the blood in her body drying up just by hearing it.

“And Ruad-Din and his followers walked over the dried salt flats. Afterwards, he survived and established the Church of the Code of Light. But sailors… … .”

Isaac smiled bitterly as he thought about how his brilliant faith had fallen in an instant. The reason why the empire that was in its heyday fell was because a promise was broken just once.

“… … Their lineage was cut off and they were scattered around the world. Since then, they have changed their name to the Salt Council and have been searching for the legacy of the fallen nation. “To retrieve the lost scriptures.”

“So you can’t break your promises.”

“Because it has become a collective trauma for the denomination. “Even if I hide the truth, I won’t lie if I say it out loud.”

This is not simply a mental problem. The penalty was that lying was completely impossible within the game. Of course, there was a corresponding price.

‘I liked the gloomy setting of a successor to a declining faith… … By the way, the Salt Council and the World Furnace Church appear at the same time. ‘What kind of magic is in this neighborhood?’

If you think about it, the Code of Light, the Red Chalice, the Salt Council, the Hearth of the World, and your faith are all paying attention to this domain.

Including Isaac, there are six members of Nameless Chaos and, indirectly, the Immortal Church.

It was by no means common to have interest in six of the nine faiths.

‘Considering that the rest of Elil, the Golden Idol, and Yulkan are neutral or isolationist, in fact, all the faiths that can be gathered have been gathered together. Even though the secret wasn’t revealed, was he still secretly aware of it? Or were you predicting the birth of a new faith from this point on?’